JPH0515818A - Paste applying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form the curvilinear parts of the patterns formed of the paste discharged from a nozzle 1 on a substrate 7 to desired curvilinear parts and to nearly the same sectional shapes as the shapes of straight parts. CONSTITUTION:A Z-axis table part 4 is driven under the control of a controller 11 and the tip of the nozzle 1 is positioned and fixed to the position upper by the thickness of the drawn paste patterns than the substrate 7. An X-axis table part 5 and a Y-axis table part are then driven under the control of the controller 11 and the substrate 7 moves on X-Y planes. The paste 12 is discharged onto the substrate 7 at a specified discharge rate per unit time from the nozzle 1 and the patterns of the paste are drawn on this substrate 7. The relative moving quantity between the front end of the nozzle 1 and the substrate 7 is maintained specific regardless of the moving direction of the substrate 7 at this time. Then, the paste is applied to the curvilinear parts in the state similar to the state of the straight parts and the curvilinear parts are formed to the patterns of the desired curvilinear shapes and the sectional shapes nearly equal to the sectional shapes of the straight parts.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paste applicator for applying a desired paste to a liquid crystal display panel or the like, and more particularly to a paste applicator ejected from a nozzle onto a substrate placed on a table. -A paste coating machine capable of coating not only a straight line but also a desired curved line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal display panel is one in which two glasses provided with transparent electrodes, thin film transistor arrays, etc. are bonded at very close intervals of about several μm, and the liquid crystal is sealed in the space formed thereby. is there. The glass is adhered by providing one glass with a sealing agent so as to form a substantially closed loop, and facing the other glass with this glass and laminating and adhering the glass with the sealing agent.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52742/1990, a substrate is moved relative to a nozzle and a resistance paste is discharged from the nozzle onto the substrate to draw a predetermined resistance pattern. Techniques for forming resistance have been introduced.

[0004]

However, when a pattern of the sealing agent is drawn in a closed loop shape on the glass using the above-mentioned conventional technique, a desired coating shape is obtained in a portion where the sealing agent is linearly applied. However, the desired coating shape could not be obtained in the portion where the sealant was applied in a curved shape.

That is, the adhesive sealant is applied in the form of a loop around the glass. In this loop-shaped pattern, the sides of the glass are linear, and the corners of the glass are curved, but curved. In the portion to which the seal agent is applied, the application pattern of the seal agent 12 having the same width as that of the portion to which the seal agent is applied is to be linearly formed with a predetermined curvature as shown in FIG. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, there is a difference in the coating amount to form a narrow curved portion 12a, and as shown in FIG. 6, the paste is not pulled to have a curved shape. The straight portion 12b is inclined.

When the width of the curved portion 12a shown in FIG. 5 becomes extremely narrow, the sealing agent is discontinued at the curved portion 12a,
The liquid crystal display panel cannot be sealed. Further, when the inclined portion 12b as shown in FIG. 6 is formed, a part of the transparent electrode and the thin film transistor array provided on the glass is shielded.
In some cases, it may be located outside the lubricant 12b, and normal display cannot be obtained.

Further, in the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52742/1990, a resistance paste is applied in an amount larger than the normal amount, and thereafter, trimming is performed while measuring the resistance value to obtain a desired resistance pattern. I am trying to get it. However, such a method is very time-consuming.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a paste coating machine capable of obtaining a desired coating shape even in a curved paste coating section.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a nozzle so that the gap between the substrate and the tip of the nozzle is approximately equal to the thickness of the paste applied on the substrate. The means for keeping the amount of paste discharged per unit time from the nozzle constant and the portion where the paste is applied linearly and the portion where the paste is applied in a curved line are substantially coincident with each other. A means for controlling the relative movement amount of the nozzle and the substrate per unit time is provided.

[0010]

When the relative movement amount of the nozzle and the substrate per unit time is substantially equal, and the paste ejection amount from the nozzle per unit time is constant, the paste application shapes are almost equal. In the present invention, the amount of paste discharged from the nozzle per unit time is kept constant, and the portion where the paste is applied in a curved shape is also linear between the portion where the paste is applied and the nozzle and the substrate. Since the relative amount of movement per unit time is almost the same, the width of the portion where the paste is applied in a curved line is approximately the same as the coating shape of the portion where the paste is applied in the desired curved line. The paste will be applied.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a paste coating machine according to the present invention, in which 1 is a nozzle, 2 is a cylinder, 3 is an optical displacement meter, 4 is a Z-axis table section, and 5 is an X-axis table. Part, 6
Is a Y-axis table unit, 7 is a substrate, 8 is a substrate suction unit, 9 is a mount unit, 10 is a Z-axis table unit supporting unit, and 11 is a control device.

In FIG. 1, an X-axis table section 5 is fixedly mounted on a gantry section 9, and a Y-axis table section 6 is mounted on the X-axis table 5 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction.
A substrate suction unit (table) 8 is mounted on the Y-axis table unit 6 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction. The substrate 7 is sucked and fixed to the substrate suction portion 8 so that, for example, its four sides are parallel to the X and Y axes. The X-axis table unit 5 and the Y-axis table unit 6 are the control device 11
When the X-axis table unit 5 is driven by the control, the Y-axis table unit 6 moves in the X-axis direction, the substrate suction unit 8 moves the substrate 7 in the X-axis direction, and the Y-axis table unit moves. When 6 is driven, the substrate 7 moves in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, when the X-axis table unit 5 and the Y-axis table unit 6 are controlled and driven by the control device 11, the X-axis table unit 5 and the Y-axis table unit 6 can be moved in any direction within a plane parallel to the plane of the gantry unit 9.

On the other hand, a Z-axis table portion support portion 10 is mounted on the surface of the pedestal portion 9, and the Z-axis table portion support portion 10 has a cylinder 2 for accommodating a nozzle 1 and a paste and an optical displacement. A Z-axis table portion 4 for moving the total 3 in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) is attached. Here, the nozzle 1 is attached to the lower end of the cylinder 2 which contains the paste,
The optical displacement meter 3 is arranged beside the cylinder 2. The Z-axis table section 4 is also controlled and driven by the control device 11, and when the Z-axis table section 4 is driven, the nozzle 1, the cylinder 2, and the optical displacement meter 3 move in the vertical direction.

In such a structure, when drawing a paste pattern on the substrate 7, first, the Z-axis table portion 4 is drive-controlled by the controller 11 so that the tip of the nozzle 1 is located at a predetermined height position from the substrate 7. Fix it. Here, this height position is set to the thickness of the formed paste pattern.

After the position of the nozzle 1 is set in this way, the controller 11 drives and controls the X-axis table portion 5 and the Y-axis table portion 6 to move the substrate 7 on the above-mentioned plane, and at the same time, The paste is discharged onto the substrate 7 from the tip of the nozzle 1 at a constant discharge amount per unit time. As a result, a paste pattern is drawn on the substrate 7,
In this case, the relative speed of the tip of the nozzle 1 and the substrate 7 per unit time is irrespective of whether the pattern is drawn on a straight line (the straight line part of the pattern) or on a curved line (the curved line part of the pattern). Controller 1 so that it becomes equal
1 controls the X-axis table unit 5 and the Y-axis table unit 6. Therefore, the paste is applied on the substrate 7 in almost the same state in the straight line portion of the pattern and the curved portion of the pattern, and in the curved portion of the pattern, the curvature determined by the control of the control device 11 and the pattern A pattern having substantially the same cross-sectional shape as the straight line portion is formed.

Therefore, assuming that the substrate 7 is one of the glasses of the liquid crystal display panel and the paste of the sealant is applied to the periphery of the glass in a loop shape, a curved portion at a corner portion of the glass 7 in the drawn pattern. Then, at the desired curvature, the cross-sectional shape is the same as the straight line portion on the side portion of the glass.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a coating operation state of the paste in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in which 12 is a paste and 13 is a paste.
Is a hose, 14 is a suction hole, and the same reference numerals are given to the portions corresponding to FIG.

In FIG. 2, the cylinder 2 is connected via a hose 11.
The compressed air or the compressed nitrogen gas is sent to, and thereby the paste 12 housed in the cylinder 2 is discharged onto the substrate 7 from the tip of the nozzle 1. At this time, the amount of paste discharged from the nozzle 1 per unit time is kept constant.
The substrate suction portion 8 is provided with a plurality of suction holes 14, and the substrate 7 is sucked by these suction holes 14 and the substrate suction portion 8 is sucked.
Is placed at a predetermined position. The optical displacement meter 3 measures the distance from the substrate 7 by the triangulation method. Specifically, the substrate 7 is obliquely irradiated with laser light from the light projecting element,
The distance between the optical displacement gauge 3 and the substrate 7 is measured from the position of the light receiving element that receives the reflected light from the light receiving element. Then, the distance between the tip of the nozzle 1 and the substrate 7 is calculated from the positional relationship between the nozzle 1 and the optical displacement meter 3. Based on this calculation result,
The controller 11 (FIG. 1) controls the Z-axis table portion 4, and the distance between the tip of the nozzle 1 and the substrate 7 is set to the substrate 7 as described above and as shown in FIG. It should be approximately equal to the thickness of the paste 12 applied over it.

Next, the coating operation of the paste 12 on the substrate 7 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, it is assumed here that the paste 12 is applied in the path of abcd. In addition,
a-b and c-d are linear portions of the pattern, and b-c are curved portions of the pattern. Also, the solid line part of abcd is the applied part, and the dotted line is the unapplied part.

Now, the straight line portions ab and cd of the pattern
Let M1 be the relative movement amount between the tip of the nozzle 1 and the substrate 7 per unit time at, and the relative movement amount per unit time between the tip of the nozzle 1 and the substrate 7 at the curve portion bc of the pattern. If M2, these are made almost equal, and M1 = M2.

The relative movement amount M2 in the curved portion bc of the pattern can be obtained from the movement amount ΔX of the X-axis table portion 5 and the movement amount ΔY of the Y-axis table portion 6 by the Pythagorean theorem. . The movement amounts ΔX and ΔY are obtained as follows.

That is, here, the curved portion b- of the pattern
It is assumed that c has a curved shape with a radius R centered on the point P. The movement amounts ΔX and Δ along the curved line portion bc of the pattern.
Let A be the start point and B be the end point of the movement section that moves Y
The lengths between the center point P and the points where the perpendiculars of the X axis and Y axis passing through the starting point A intersect the X axis and Y axis are X0 and Y0, respectively, and the end point B
Let X1 and Y1 be the same lengths respectively, and if the angle θ1 formed by the line connecting the end point B and the center point P of this movement section and the X axis is given, the movement amounts ΔX and ΔY are given by the following equations. To be ΔX = X1−X0 = R × Cos (θ1 / 180 × π) −X0 ΔY = Y0−Y1 = Y0−R × Sin (θ1 / 180 × π) As described above, the nozzle 1 per unit time Since the discharge amount of the strike is kept constant and the nozzle 1 is installed so that the distance between the tip of the nozzle 1 and the substrate 7 is almost equal to the thickness of the paste 12 applied on the substrate 7, the pattern is formed. The amount of paste applied per unit time in the curved line portion bc of the pattern becomes equal to the amount of paste applied per unit time in the straight line portion ab of the pattern. A curve pattern with a radius of curvature R will be drawn,
The pattern cross-sectional shape of this portion is also the straight line portion a- of the pattern.
The cross-sectional shape of the pattern in b is almost the same, and the paste 12 is applied on the substrate 7 in a normal curved shape as shown in FIG.

A curve such as the curve portion bc of the pattern is a series of linear movement sections of the movement amounts ΔX and ΔY, and therefore the curve is represented by a broken line. Therefore,
In order to make the drawn curve look more neat, the relative movement amounts M1 and M2 of the nozzle 1 and the substrate 7 per unit time may be reduced to reduce the movement sections of the movement amounts ΔX and ΔY. Good. This means that the curved portion b of the pattern
This can be achieved by changing the angle θ1 formed by the line connecting the end point B and the center point P in the movement section of the movement amounts ΔX and ΔY in −c and the X axis in small increments.

Since the curve shape of the pattern can be expressed as a mathematical expression as described above, the X-axis table section 5 and the Y-axis table section 6 can be moved as described above according to the mathematical expression. Thus, the paste can be applied in an arbitrary curved shape.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the paste can be applied in a desired curved pattern, by combining it with the linear pattern,
The paste can be applied to a pattern having an arbitrary shape. Therefore, the liquid crystal display panel and the resistor can be manufactured with a high yield by properly applying the sealant and the resistor paste.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The nozzle ejected from the nozzle onto the substrate placed on the table.
The strike can be applied accurately and surely not only to a linear pattern but also to a desired curved pattern, and therefore a paste pattern of any shape can be obtained accurately and surely.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a paste applicator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a coating operation state of the paste of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining control when a paste is applied in a curved pattern in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a normal curve pattern of a paste.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a curved pattern formed in an undesired paste coating shape.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of a curved pattern formed in an undesired paste coating shape.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 nozzle 2 Paste storage cylinder 3 displacement meter 4 Z-axis table section 5 X-axis table section 6 Y-axis table section 7 substrate 8 Substrate adsorption part 9 Stand 10 Z-axis table support 11 Control device 12 pastes

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Haruo Mikai             Hitachite 5-2 Koyodai, Ryugasaki, Ibaraki             Development Laboratory, Kuno Engineering Co., Ltd.             Within

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A table for moving a table on which a substrate is placed and a nozzle relative to each other, ejecting the paste from the nozzle, and applying the paste on the substrate in a predetermined pattern. -In a strike coater, the nozzle is installed so that the gap between the substrate and the tip of the nozzle is approximately equal to the thickness of the paste applied on the substrate, The first means for keeping the paste discharge amount constant and the nozzle and the substrate per unit time so that the portion where the paste is applied linearly and the portion where the paste is applied are substantially aligned. And a second means for setting the relative movement amount of the paste coating machine. 2. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is disposed above the table, and the second means moves the table in an arbitrary horizontal direction. Paste applicator. 3. The second means according to claim 2, wherein the second means controls the moving speed of the table so that the relative moving amount of the nozzle and the substrate per unit time becomes linear. A paste applicator, characterized in that a portion on which the paste is applied and a portion on which the paste is applied in a curved shape are substantially aligned with each other.